


i'm all you need to get by

by cinderlily



Series: ten out of ten [2]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-11
Updated: 2016-02-11
Packaged: 2018-05-19 15:37:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5972179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderlily/pseuds/cinderlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After meeting at the Starbucks where Tyler works, they go on their first date. With Jamie's sister, BIL and three kids at an ice skating rink, you know. Like a normal first date.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'm all you need to get by

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Vitula](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vitula/gifts), [freetodream5](https://archiveofourown.org/users/freetodream5/gifts), [sly_fck](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sly_fck/gifts), [LuciFern](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuciFern/gifts).
  * Inspired by [you make it out of nothing](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5600416) by [cinderlily](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderlily/pseuds/cinderlily). 



> Is it considered a coda if it is literally 6x the length of the original fic? Eh. Okay, whatever. 
> 
> I could not have written without sly_fck, freetodream5 and LuciFern. For real. <3

The problem with working in a coffee shop is that it takes a rather easy first date completely off the table. Tyler dug where he worked, loved his co workers, but on his days off the last place he wanted to be was ANY place that smelled like coffee and would give him the urge to wipe down tables. 

Full on dinner felt a little presumptuous of him and he was usually not the kind of guy to just ...like do that. That was a big swath of one on one time with a lot of pressure and he had a tendency to talk a lot when he was nervous. 

And yeah. He didn’t want to fuck this thing up with Jamie because he rambled on about customers or how to make a drink or even worse-- himself-- for two hours without being able to stop. 

Thankfully Jamie seemed to be on the same or a similar enough page with him, because after the initial text messages about going to a different coffee shop had gotten a negative response he started in on the most random ideas ever. Through three days of text messaging, most _not_ having to do with dates but instead getting to know each other, they’d made a huge list of places that probably _weren’t_ a good idea: 

Movies ( _too cliche_ for Jamie.)  
Museums ( _freaky quiet_ for Tyler.)  
Dog park ( _I don’t have a dog_ , Jamie)  
Laundry mat ( _I have a washer/dryer in unit_ , also Jamie, which earned him the nickname ‘Big Money’ from Tyler, but that didn’t stick.) 

Tyler was almost too the point where he thought that Jamie was trying to just get out of a date with him when Jordie basically stalled him at work. 

“You fucking with my bro?” 

Tyler was afraid his eyes were the size of dinner plates. “Dude, I only see him here, we haven’t even _kissed_...” 

“Lalala,” Jordie put his fingers in his ears exaggeratedly. “I didn’t ask if you were _fucking_ him and trust me I NEVER will. I said fucking _WITH_ him. Cause he has been moping for the better part of this week and last night he printed up a list of things to do on a first date. So, like, if you don’t want to go on a date with him tell him _now_ or I’m going to get Demers and Hil and we’ll beat the crap out of you. You don’t lead Jamie on. He’s like a freaking foal.” 

Tyler debated heavily with making a comment about him being more like a stallion but Jordie was a touch intimidating when he wanted to be and he really _did_ want to date Jamie. “I am _not_ fucking with your brother. I am one hundred percent not, totally the opposite. Just. I don’t want to fuck this up and first dates are usually only dates for me so this feels a little intimidating?” 

(He wasn’t sure why he was being so freaking honest here but eh. It was the truth.) 

Jordie looked him up and down. 

“My sister’s kid plays kiddie hockey. You like hockey. Jamie like’s hockey. It’s at like ass o’clock in morning on Saturdays but I’ll get your shift switched this week.” 

Tyler blinked. “How?” 

Jordie waved his hand in front of Tyler’s face. “Doesn’t matter, dude. If you’re into it I can get it done. Then you can get him to stop acting like freaking Eeyore and we’ll be squared up.” 

Tyler nodded, half because he liked the idea and half because if it didn’t mean Saturday morning rush he’d do anything. 

On his next break he grabbed his phone and made his way to the bathroom for some privacy. 

“ _I hear your nephew plays hockey?_ ” he texted, and the instant ellipses that popped up made his heart beat a little faster. He liked when he caught Jamie near his phone. 

“ _Neice. Who told you that?_ ”

“ _A little birdie with a horrendous beard and a dumb ass boyfriend._ ” 

“ _Jordie._ ” 

“ _I wouldn’t mind watching kids fight with you._ ” 

As soon as he sent it he smacked his forehead and wished Apple had installed a “TAKE IT BACK!!!” button but it was quickly marked read. 

“ _?????_ ” 

“ _Uh. Yeah. Can we just act like that wasn’t creepy? I’ll bring the coffee if you tell me where the rink is?_ ”

" _Starts at 7:30, better bring me a triple Americano._ " 

" _Wuss._ " He teased, even though he still was a freaking beast early morning. It wasn't what he was meant for at all.

*

Five thirty was _crazy ass early_ when he didn’t have to be up for work. But the process of getting ready for a date, getting to Starbucks to pick up the orders, and getting to the rink necessitated it. Even with the extra time he allowed himself he ended up leaving his apartment later than he wanted to due to looking in the mirror and having a last minute change of heart. 

What was someone supposed to wear to a date that was at 7:30 in the morning and involved watching a group of kids try not to fall on ice? First choice was a short sleeve blue polo and jeans but he realized he looked like a loser and was going to be cold the whole time. Second try got rid of the polo but switched him into a green button down and dear lord he did NOT want to wear green when it made him feel like he was at work. It was all wrong. 

So he slid out the door ten minutes later than he meant to, wearing jeans and a gray henley, a toque slid onto his head and a black jacket over one shoulder. He called in his order, thankful to get Julie, one of the few nice people on staff but had to pick it up from freaking Demers who gave him a look akin to a cat that got the cream. He would have told him he was an idiot but he got the feeling he was the one who’d taken Tyler’s shift for the morning _and_ he was still running late so instead he gave a sarcastic salute and ran out the door. 

He could fuck with Demers later. That was a never ending joy. 

In the end he got to the destination that Google maps directed him to at 7:29 and maybe danced a little in joy in his car. But no one was looking, so it didn’t count as him being an actual loser. (Or so he tried to convince himself.) 

He found Jamie in front of the front door nervously shifting from foot to foot and looking _amazing_. Tyler resisted the urge to climb him like a tree and instead got his attention by letting out a yell. 

“Hey, Hot Stuff!” 

Jamie’s ears turned a delicious shade of red, which stood out even worse as they were _outside_ of his toque, the complete goober. He looked over at Tyler and ducked his head and Tyler walked up and handed him the triple Americano with tons of milk and caramel that he wished he’d made himself just because of the look of joy it gave Jamie when he smelled it. 

“Oh, you meant the coffee,” Jamie laughed slightly. 

“Naw. I meant you,” Tyler bumped his hip against Jamie’s. “But let’s get inside. It’s friggin cold out here.” 

At that Jamie’s face went entirely red, but he nodded and led them in the door. The relative silence outside was met with a cacophony as they walked into the small rink. Little kids voices, parents voices, the sound of a whistle from refs. The game hadn’t started yet but it looked like it might any minute. 

A woman tying a little girl’s laces up looked over and waved at Jamie and Tyler emphatically to come over. Jamie seemed to momentarily tense but then relaxed enough to walk over. 

“Hey Jenn,” Jamie said and looked back at Tyler. “This is Tyler. Tyler, this is my sister Jenny and this hellion is my niece Jana.” 

“Hi,” Tyler waved awkwardly. 

Jana poked a finger at Jamie. “Hellion is a bad word, Jamie. You owe a dollar to the jar.” 

“It is NOT,” Jamie said, sounding all of eight years old. “Is it?” 

He looked at Tyler who blinked at him. He cursed like a fucking sailor on shore leave, what made him an expert on a swear jar he had no knowledge of. “I don’t know man, it might not be a curse word, but you’re obviously lying. She seems like an angel.” 

“Aww, sucking up to the niece, I approve,” Jenny laughed. “Though you get points deducted for not bringing the sister coffee. Tsk tsk.” 

Tyler actually felt like he might go a little red himself. It was a pretty rookie mistake. He _knew_ they were going to see Jamie’s sister’s kid play, he probably should have thought about bringing her something. He could have even asked Jordie what she liked… Or Jamie. 

“Oh dear lord,” Jenny covered her mouth, in a way weirdly reminiscent of Jamie. “I was teasing. I can get my own coffee. Plus that’s what my husband is for. Chill out, Tyler.” 

Three sharp whistles brought their attention to the rink and Jana got up to her feet, doing an awkward penguin dance to get to the edge of the rink. Jana looked back at the group and smiled nervously and Tyler gave her two thumbs up, which made him feel like a complete dork but the smile he got back was worth it. (And made him miss his sisters something fierce.) 

He grabbed for his coffee, which he’d placed on a bench and looked over at Jamie who was still watching his niece. “You want to grab a better view?” 

Jamie looked over at him and smiled. “Oh yeah, of course.” 

“I’mmmmm going to wait for Jack,” Jenny commented and raised an eyebrow not so subtly. “You guys go off without me. We can catch up after the game. Just remember you two, there are children present.” 

Jamie coughed out of nowhere and took Tyler’s wrist with his free hand. “Thanks Jenns, you are the best as always.” 

Tyler didn’t even get a chance to make a lewd comment back, sure he had a few that would get Jamie’s sister to laugh, before he was too far for them to reach her without yelling and… well. There _were_ children present. Even if ninety percent of them were already on the ice skating huge circles and waiting for the puck to drop. 

They end up seated almost at the top of the rink, not that it was particularly huge or deep, obviously meant for people to just visit or for games like this. But it put them far enough from the natural crowd that he figured Jamie felt more comfortable. 

“Your sister seems nice,” Tyler tried. 

Jamie shrugged. “She’s evil, but I love her.” 

“Seems like a trait in both your siblings… which reminds me… Jen?” 

Jamie looked over at him and took a sip from his coffee. “Yeah?” 

“Jen Benn?” 

“It’s Jennifer Barmore now, but yeah. Mom said she was too drugged up to really think it through at the time.” 

Tyler nodded. His mom had said his name was almost Seth but one of the nurses had gently pointed out that Seth Seguin would be really hard had the kid had a stutter or a lisp. (He thanked that nurse often.) “But Jennifer, Jordie and Jamie? Plus… like. She’s married to a Jack? And Jordie has Jason. Am I doomed to fail with my T name. Do I need to become Jyler?” 

He considered that this was probably not first date material and possibly showed his slight anxiety at not being enough. He rubbed at the tuft of hair that came out of his toque and tried to get it behind his ear. 

Jamie had on a small smile, his eyes focused on the ice. “Jyler has a pretty good ring to it … but Jordie isn’t actually Jordie so you’re probably safe.” 

“You can’t just let that one dangle, Benn. Who is Jordie? A spy? A clone? Four angry honey badgers in a hairy human costume?” 

Jamie let out a laugh that was so loud it echoed around the ice. A few of the moms turned around to give them a look and Tyler shot a ‘ _try me_ ’ look back, as that laugh? Was pretty much the best thing that he’d heard all day. Jamie had covered his smile with his hand, a crying shame really, but lowered it after a minute to say. “That one is getting back to him. Too good to be true.” 

“You are not answering my question, dude,” Tyler asked. 

“It isn’t nearly as interesting as you think. He’s Phillip. Jordie… well. Jordan is his middle name. One of them. He got saddled with the whole family business. Phillip Jordan Ellis Benn. Mom let dad go buck wild with the one consolation that they’d call him Jordie.” 

“Phillip Jordan Ellis Benn? He sounds like an attorney.”

Jamie shrugged. “It was an unusually good name to get his attention when he was misbehaving. Hell, even I shudder when it comes out of my mom’s mouth.” 

“What about you? Are you James Christopher Winsworth Benn the third?” Tyler said, taking the time to you his best attempt at a British accent, which was pretty damn good if he said so himself. 

Jamie’s ears turned pink again, something apparently that was pretty damn easy to do. “Just Jamie, actually. Jamie Randolph Benn.” 

“I’m Tyler Paul,” Tyler responded, not sure why. It wasn’t like he’d been asked. But it seemed to make Jamie relax a little and Tyler felt a little thrill of victory up his spine. “Though I guess I can come up with a J name … you know. If it helps get me an in with your family..” 

For the first time in a while Jamie looked over at him and gave him a secretive little smile. “You really don’t need the help.” 

He nudged at Jamie with his knee. “That so, Benn?” 

“Even Jordie says you’re a pretty good guy if you look past the Frat boy exterior,” Jamie said and then kind of ducked his head. “Not that uh-- the Frat thing is a bad thing. Just that you can come off like might be a little party boy which might not be good for dating… I’m shutting up now.” 

Tyler hid a laugh with the back of his hand before moving on. “Well your brother’s got room to talk. Either way, I think you have to go to college to be considered actually a Frat boy. Only one who does that is _you_ , so that takes away that, right?” 

Something happened on the ice that pulled Jamie away from the conversation for a second and Tyler suddenly remembered they were there for the game, at least partially. Jamie stood up and cupped hands around his mouth. “That’s BULL Sharpy and you know it!” 

One of the refs looked up and gave a very obvious eye roll, one they could see even at the distance. On the ice Jana was being escorted to a tiny glass box. She looked up guiltily towards her Uncle and Jamie gave her thumbs up. 

“Sharpy can be a dick, freaking power hungry,” Jamie grumbled as he sat back down. 

Tyler put a hand on Jamie’s thigh to comfort him. It was freaking huge, and muscular. Crazy ass muscular. 

“Dude, you work out,” Tyler said dumbly, instantly rebuking himself internally. He was okay with cheesy pick up lines but really, _you work out_? He was better than that. 

Jamie laughed it off, at least. “Well, you know. It’s my job. Or it will be.” 

Tyler quirked an eyebrow in lieu of a question. 

“I’m trying to get into sports medicine,” he pointed towards the ice. “Hockey specifically.” 

“Hockey, eh?” 

Jamie puffed up a bit. “You got a problem with Canada, Seguin?”

Tyler laughed. “It’d be a bit stupid for me to, I’ve got the TimHo’s in my blood. Ontario born and bred.” 

“I’m from Victoria,” Jamie said, smiling goofily. The guy _had_ to know how adorable he was. It was like he was on a date with a six foot tall puppy.

“I knew that,” Tyler conceded. “Or at least assumed it, I mean, unless your brother and you were raised separately. We have a fight going Leafs-Canucks.” 

Jamie cringed slightly. “Oh man, my mom is going to freak. She’s more of a Canuck’s fan than me. She might actually shiv you.” 

“Already threatening Mama shivving the boy? That’s a good sign.” 

Jenny walked up the stairs, a man following. “What’s he done? Talk ill of Broeder?” 

“He’s a Leaf’s fan,” Jamie shook his head. 

Jenny made a noise that seemed like mostly pity. “Well, he couldn’t be as perfect as you thought.” 

Out of the corner of his eye he caught Jamie rubbing his face with one hand. Tyler was thankful that he could just blame the coldness of the rink on how flush his face was. He couldn’t explain away the smile that split his face in half. 

She pulled at the man behind her. “This is Jack, Jack, meet _Tyler_.” 

“Hi _Tyler_ ,” Jack said, elongating his name in the same weird way Jenny had. “Don’t worry, you can’t be worse than me. I didn’t even know hockey before Jen. As for the whole pressure thing, you’ll get used to them pretty quick.” 

“Thanks, guys,” Jamie said, way too loud. “Shouldn’t you be following your hooligan on the ice. And where are your other two hooligans? I’m not an expert at parenting but shouldn’t you be nearby them? You know, _away from here._ ” 

“Ease up, Chubbs,” Jenny put her hands up. “Jana is on the ice, Jacks is at the arcade with two of his friends and Joey has been kidnapped by one of Jana’s friend’s older sisters. She’s angling for a babysitting position. I have yet to tell her I use the unpaid labor of family but you know. If you have a life now…” 

“Go get the babysitter, Jenny,” Jamie said, voice still a little bit louder than necessary. 

Jenny rolled her eyes but gave Tyler a look. “I’ll still forgive you for the Leaf’s thing. We’re getting lunch after this. You two should come.”

“Sounds good,” Tyler smiled. “Long as you don’t poison me for liking a better team.” 

“Cheeky,” Jenny grinned back. “Also totally wrong, but you can’t help it. Liking a terrible team for your whole life could be like an illness.” 

She waved at them both and walked away. Tyler looked over to see Jamie watching the ice and looking clearly embarrassed. He nudged at him with one of his shoulders. 

“Dude, sisters. I’ve got two of them. Don’t worry.” 

Jamie perked up a little. “Two? Jeez. I can barely handle one. Older or younger?” 

“Younger, both,” Tyler shook his head. “Pretty sure they’ll be the death of me. Candace is crazy. I mean, I went through a phase when I was younger and she’s taking up the gauntlet. Cass is pretty chill. They’re both back in Canada though so I don’t get as much of a chance to haunt them and threaten their significant others…” 

“GET ‘EM, BANANA!!” Jamie jumped up again. And Tyler looked out on the ice to see what could only be called the oddest and cutest mini fight ever. It barely lasted five seconds before the refs separated them and took both girls aside. 

Tyler stood up as well. “COME ON, SHARP, IT WAS JUST THEM SHOWING SOME LOVE!” 

The ref, a pretty ridiculously good looking dude who was holding Jana at the moment, looked up the stairs towards Jamie and Tyler. Tyler gave him a huge shrug. 

“They were hugging it out!” he called and Sharp shook his head and went back to talking to Jana. 

“Hugging it out?” Jamie laughed, as they both sat back down. “Showing some love?” 

Tyler shrugged. “I played as a kid and might have had a lot of love to give. Can’t be faulted for that, right?” 

Jamie shook his head and muttered something that Tyler couldn’t quite catch. 

“What?” 

“You’re aren’t actually trying, aren’t you?” 

Tyler waggled his eyebrows. “Well, as a rule I am usually trying pretty hard. But trying for what? To get on your nerves? To be right? To be strangely charming?” 

“You’re Canadian, like hockey (even if it’s the wrong team), are nice to my family… you just. You are hot as hell…” he stuttered and looked away. “I mean. Like you know that…” he looked back at Tyler. “Of course you know it. But it’s like. Natural? All of this. You are… just being you. You’re not even _trying_ to be perfect.” 

Tyler waited for a minute, mostly to see if the rambling was over. Jamie was looking at him, breathing in and out a little louder than necessary like he was winded. 

“I… I guess I _am_ trying,” Tyler said, feeling a little like he was calming down an angry customer. “And maybe I’m good at pretending because I can tell you for damn sure that I am nowhere in the same city as perfect. I mean. I work at Starbucks because I don’t know what I’m doing and I think I fuck up an order an hour. I have slept through my alarm like four times. Minimum. I didn’t even have the balls to talk to you until you came up to me to ask for milk.

“I’m nice to your family because… well. They seem pretty awesome. Well. No. Jordie is kind of a dick. But I am kind of a dick. SO I guess in that way it’s just mutual respect of dickery or whatever. But your sister seems pretty awesome, though I think we’ve talked a total of five minutes. Your niece is adorable. And you are fucking _hot_ , smart, like hockey and crazy dorky and that laugh, man. When you bray? I feel like I won a prize. **Just** getting you to laugh feels like I won a _prize_. So I’m trying here. Really hard, actually.” 

A shrill calling of a broken rule catches both of their attentions and Tyler is suddenly painfully aware of where he was. Where _they_ were. And the fact that he’d just made the kind of declaration that would usually end with him in bed, preferably with Jamie nearby. Maybe on top, maybe beneath. Honestly, he was pretty flexible in these cases. 

Either way, he’d never had a talk like this in a place like this. Or sober. Or. Really, he’d never had a talk like this that wasn’t being made to strategically get in the guys pants. Because he hadn’t said those things to get into Jamie’s pants. Not really. Not that that would be a problem for him, just. He’d said it because he’d meant it. 

Jamie was staring him down. He felt the urge to shift around. He felt like somehow Jamie was reading deeper into him than he was comfortable with. Like he could see his fuckboy past on display. He wasn’t exactly proud of his college self. Or what you could call his college self. He’d only really attended a semester and a half before he’d been kicked out for excessive drinking, misbehaving and finally grades. He been on the hockey team there, had thought a year in college might give him the edge that would bring him up to the major level. 

It was quite clear where that had ended up. He’d let his own stupidity reign supreme and even AHL teams that’d been knocking on his door in high school treated him like trash that didn’t deserve a second call after getting kicked out of college. The next few years hadn’t exactly been his best. For Jamie to call him ‘perfect’ was laughable, to say the least. 

Just about when he was going to brave asking Jamie to explain or to say something, _anything_ , he watched as Jamie looked out on the ice. Tyler did so as well, feeling like it might be the polite thing to do and as soon as he got comfortable doing so a hand landed on top of his and he couldn’t fight a small smile. He switched his hand to palm up and the two laced their fingers together. 

They watched the rest of the game in relative silence, except for the random calls out onto the ice to call out the refs, the other players, the coaches and at one particularly odd moment the puck itself. (Tyler still contended that it defied physics when it went the wrong direction Jana had her stick perfectly positioned. It didn’t make sense!) 

Jamie squeezed his hand at intervals, sometimes when he wanted to point something out on the ice, but sometimes just because. It was as if he was just checking that Tyler was still there Still present. So Tyler took the chance to occasionally do the same. Because he was there and was really thankful to be so. 

*

Jana’s team lost, which was total bullshit if you asked Tyler, not that anyone did. The puck was cursed, or magnetic or some shit. Because Jana had skill, was an all around good player, not just a good forward and some of her teammates were pretty good as well. They totally should have won. 

He told her that and she beamed at him, her face a little tear stained. 

“Really really?” 

“Totally, the way you move I’m calling you Pepper Pot.” 

She tilted her head at him, and from behind her he could see both Jamie and Jenny smiling widely. “Like in Iron Man?” 

“Not like Iron Man. It means you are super fast, that you got skills. Got that Pep?” 

She nodded emphatically before toddling off the ice to go down and shower and get changed. He sat down on one of the benches and felt someone nudge gently on his shoulder. 

“You hitting on my daughter? Cause I won’t even hesitate to kick you where it hurts Seguin.” 

Tyler rolled his eyes. “I have been accused of many things, but trust me when I say I prefer those who can buy ME drinks legally.” 

Jenny smiled at him. “Well, that and apparently you got the taste for another member of my family.” 

Jamie was playing with his two nephews, one of which was tiny and looked even tinier in his arms. It might, impossibly, make Tyler more endeared than he thought possible. Like, he was pretty sure at twenty four he shouldn’t be thinking white picket fences but Jamie with a baby in his arms had him picking out names, it wasn’t fair.

“You might want to wipe the drool there, buddy,” Jenny leaned over and pretended to wipe at his mouth. 

“Is this the talk I get that is all warning about hurting your brother? Cause I can’t guarantee I won’t fu--mess this up a lot.” Tyler wasn’t sure why the Benn family was bringing out the honesty in him today. 

Jenny shrugged. “Jamie can pretty much handle himself. Though yeah, you hurt him on purpose and I will fuck you up. Nothing personal, just big sister privileges compounded with maternal instinct. But I’ve seen you and him together now. Plus you made my daughter grin even when she lost, so you get some brownie points.” 

“Thanks?” 

“Plus, I’m am one hundred percent sure you are picturing your wedding right now, which is pretty freaking brilliant,” she laughed as Tyler turned to give her a wide eyed stare. “What? You think I don’t know what my kids’ do to people? I told Jamie to take Jana to the park when she was a baby, it’s like spanish fly. Doesn’t hurt that my kids are killer cute and Jamie has that whole bumbling adorableness thing going for him.

“But he didn’t cause he wasn’t really in a good place then. He hasn’t been in a while. But he’s come out of that. On his own, _thank you very much_ , but it helped when you came along. Jordie was the one to notice. Apparently his need for coffee jumped up exponentially. Which is kind of adorable.” 

Tyler rubbed his hands along his thighs and looked over at Jamie again. Jacks? (the older boy) had run off, leaving Jamie to cuddle the little one in his arms. Tyler was shit at actually gauging age when it came to babies but Jenny was right when it came to Spanish Fly, Jamie had women surrounding him to get a closer look at the baby who cooed happily at anyone who would look. Jamie shot him a ‘help me’ look, which made Tyler laugh. 

“Go stake your claim,” Jenny nudged him again. “And make sure to smile pretty, because in like thirty seconds when the girls clear out I’m taking a photo to send to Jordie.” 

Tyler got up and fake saluted her. He walked the maybe twenty steps to Jamie and gently but purposely walked through the crowd till he was at their side. 

“There are my men,” he said, loud and then leaned over to kiss Jamie on his cheek while playing with the fluff that was the baby’s hair. “Your sister wants her son back and I want you back.” 

Jamie was bright pink and it was really not from the cold weather at all, but he nodded emphatically. “Oh of course. I mean. Sorry, everyone. Just. Gotta go, you know. _With_ him.” 

A few of the girls let out obvious sighs of disapproval and Tyler was pretty sure he heard the phrase ‘ _All of them are gay, taken or both_ ’ thrown around which he really wanted to respond with “Bi, but, you know, still not yours.” Instead he put a hand on Jamie’s lower back and led him forward. 

“Thank you so much, man, I was… like. They were nice and all but wow,” Jamie’s voice was low enough so only Tyler could hear. “They are kinda aggressive.” 

Tyler waited until they were near where Jenny had been, but had now escaped to respond. “Dude, you obviously have not seen yourself with a kid. Your sister was distracting me or I would have been part of the pack. I think _even I started ovulating._ ” 

“Joey is pretty cute,” Jamie side stepped the compliment and looked at his nephew. “I never really thought of kids till my sister had them. They’re kind of awesome. You get to see everything for the first time over and over again. Now I want like a half a dozen.” 

Tyler couldn’t stifle the laugh which got him a weird look from Jamie. “You know, this is a pretty strange first date, man. It’s not even halfway over and I’ve met the family and now we’re talking about kids?” 

Jamie blinked. “I didn’t mean… I mean. It could be with you. But I didn’t mean we were talking about… We don’t have to… I…” 

Before Jamie could dig himself into a bigger whole Tyler stood on his toes and kissed him. It wasn’t entirely what he wanted from his first kiss with Jamie, as he had to curl his body away from a baby who seemed to get annoyed either way, pushing at him with a tiny fist, but Jamie’s lips were the perfect kind of chapped and yeah, Tyler could definitely try that first kiss again later. 

“Wha?” Jamie looked glassy eyed when Tyler pulled back. 

“Nothing,” Tyler smiled. “I think we’re going with your family to lunch, right?” 

* 

In the end, lunch, which had consisted of the light grilling that was pretty standard of any siblings towards a date and the horrible glares of doom from Jamie, while Tyler happily answered while making faces at Jana and taking the vegetables that Jacks ‘surreptitiously’ hid on his plate. It had ended pretty abruptly when Joey decided that nap was not something he would do in his stroller and decided to make the fact known by screaming at the top of his lungs. 

Tyler had offered to walk him around for a while if it meant that Jenny and Jack could finish up their lunches (which had warranted a fake cough and the term ‘suck up’ thrown at him by Jenny) but they had both said they were done. They also picked up the check, which made both Jamie and Tyler pretty annoyed. It was still, kind of, weirdly, a date for the two of them and the fact that they couldn’t even go dutch on it made it feel awkward and teenage. 

“You can consider it payback for paying for five people at your wedding,” Jenny had winked at Tyler who’d played it up. 

“Having you at our wedding will be payment enough.” 

Jamie, who had yet to not be blushing for longer than a minute the whole day, had basically melted down in on himself and dug his face into his two hands. “Oh god, I found someone who is almost as evil as her. Oh god, oh god.” 

Somehow he knew that was a compliment even if Jamie didn’t make it seem so. 

“Well, might as well take you to get dessert, make some of this traditional,” Tyler smiled, nudging at Jamie as they walked out of the small restaurant. He’d seen a Baskin Robbin’s down the way from the restaurant so it felt easy enough to just walk down. 

When Jamie didn’t pick up on the fact that he’d been brushing his hand up along side the outside of Jamie’s for about 50 feet Tyler gave up, rolled his eyes and grabbed his hand. Jamie looked down at where their hands were intertwined and Tyler got to enjoy Jamie’s puppy dog smile. 

“So other than the fact that your sister tortured you with sibling warfare and Jana’s team lost, what do you think?” 

Jamie tilted his head. “About?” 

He rolled his eyes. “The date, dude. Rate me.” 

“But it isn’t even over, there is still ice cream. Ice cream can be a big plus or minus,” Jamie said, and started swinging their arms back and forth slightly. It felt childish and absolutely perfect at the same time. 

“How so?” 

Jamie shrugged. “What if you’re a pistachio ice cream kind of guy? I mean, I have to take that into account. OR if you steal my ice cream without asking.” 

“Not on your life, pistachio is disgusting and it depends on what you get.” 

“See, important questions.” 

Tyler shook his head. “Okay, well, date ends right now.” Jamie looked a little hurt. “ _Hypothetically_. What would the rating be?” 

Jamie seemed to consider this strongly. He squeezed Tyler’s fingers and looked ahead at the sidewalk. “Well, you were late. Negative.” 

“Was not! Directly on time and I brought coffee, fucker.” 

“You DID bring me coffee, positive. You got along with my sister, negative. You made my niece smile after a loss, huge positive. You didn’t run away when I went a little crazy. Positive. Didn’t run away when I mentioned babies on the first date, positive. You talked about our WEDDING more than once on our first date once with my _sister_ , negative…” 

Tyler stopped them. “So you can talk babies but WEDDINGS are off limits?” 

Jamie tugged him forward. “You interrupted me, negative… And the kiss… The kiss was a huge huge positive…” 

“Was it now?” 

Jamie ducked his head so all Tyler could see was the tips of his ears (blushing) and the edge of the smile that was covering his face. They were nearing the Baskin Robbin’s. 

“So?” 

Jamie seemed to shake whatever embarrassment and shrugged. “Seven point five.” 

“SEVEN POINT FIVE? I get a HALF point? What kind of person gives someone a HALF POINT on a date?” 

“Well you DID end it abruptly and what kind of jackass doesn’t at least OFFER dessert?” Jamie smiled. 

Tyler busted up laughing, stopping them in front of the door of the small (almost completely empty) Baskin Robbin’s and leaning in for another kiss. This time, without the small human between them, he pushed himself into Jamie’s chest. There wasn’t THAT much of a height difference, but he still pressed up on his feet going for the higher ground. 

When he pulled back Jamie had the glassy eyed look again and he felt triumphant and giddy. 

“Seven point five?” 

“ _Eight_ ,” Jamie said, a little dazed. 

“That only brought it up a half a point?” 

Jamie pecked him on the lips and looked away shyly. “Well, we have to have something to strive for on the next date, right?”

Give me your emotion, your heart's devotion  
Give anything you like  
And I'll give understanding, life's so demanding  
I'm all you need to get by - “I love You Love” John Legend


End file.
